Limited sunlight, low temperatures, and slow natural growth make the Arctic environment extremely vulnerable to pollution. Circumpolar nations formed the Arctic Council to cooperate in promoting sustainable development in the region. An integrated approach is required, encompassing social conditions, health, culture, education, and environmental…

The purpose of this study is to propose a framework drawing on theoretical and empirical science education research that explains the common prominent field-based components of the handful of persistent and successful Earth science education programs designed for indigenous communities in North America. These programs are primarily designed for…

This study was performed to develop and test a theoretical model of the barriers and supports experienced by employees at a major land-grant university that affect their likelihood of incorporating place-based or indigenous knowledge (IK) into their teaching, research, and/or outreach activities. To test this model, we conducted a statewide survey…

The Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative (AKRSI) was established in 1994 under the auspices of the Alaska Native/Rural Education Consortium, representing over 50 organizations concerned with education in rural Alaska. Its purpose is to implement initiatives that systematically document the indigenous knowledge systems of Alaska Native peoples and…

Arguing that consultative and authoritative frameworks for rural development programs allow those in a superior position to define development priorities and to determine when and to what extent those in subordinate positions can participate, this paper outlines the need for participative-group management of such projects. The paper notes that…

The educational journey of modern Indian people spans two distinct value systems and worldviews, as the Native American sacred view inevitably encounters the material and pragmatic focus of the larger American society. In that meeting ground lies an opportunity for the two cultures to teach and learn from each other. The 15 essays in this book are…

The U.S. Global Change Research Program was established in 1990 to develop scientific projections of anticipated impacts of the changing biosphere on humans and social systems. As part of this program, the National Science Foundation created the Arctic System Science Program (ARCSS). This document describes the ARCSS Human Dimensions of the Arctic…

The Science and Mathematics for Indian Learners and Educators (SMILE) Project at Northern Arizona University provided science inservice training to K-8 teachers from Bureau of Indian Affairs schools on the Navajo reservation. The training aimed to increase and improve science instruction for Indian children and to connect science education to…

A 4-day conference in late 2001 examined challenges facing Native people in the 21st century and the positive thinking required for future generations. Thirty-three intergenerational participants shared indigenous wisdom specific to land and economy, education and socialization, governance and leadership, health and reproduction, and…

The Tewa Language Project CD-ROM was developed at the University of Washington in collaboration with San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico, to restore the use of spoken and written Tewa and to repatriate cultural property. The CD-ROM contains an interactive multimedia dictionary, songs, stories, photographs, land and water data, and linguistic resources…

Brock University (Ontario); an Ontario television station; and the Iroquois, Ojibwa, and Metis Nations are collaborating on the development of an Aboriginal adult education degree program. The clan system was modified for use as a planning tool, elders and other Aboriginal educators were included, and Aboriginal learning styles and perspectives…

Explanations of natural phenomena within a traditional Native American context are often at odds with Western scientific philosophy and what is taught in school science. Herein lies a very real conflict between two distinctly different worldviews: the mutualistic/holistic-oriented worldview of Native American cultures and the…

Alaska Native educators have developed standards that schools and communities can use to examine the extent to which they are attending to the educational and cultural well-being of their students. These "cultural standards" are intended to complement Alaska state content and performance standards. Standards have been developed for five…

This document contains the five issues of "Sharing Our Pathways" published in 2002. This newsletter of the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative (AKRSI) documents efforts to make Alaska rural education--particularly science education--more culturally relevant to Alaska Native students. Articles include "Nurturing Native Languages"…

A survey and interviews examined the beliefs of traditional and contemporary Navajos concerning individuals with disabilities. Participants were 30 staff members from the Kayenta and Pinon Unified School Districts (Arizona), of whom 21 were Navajos, 8 Anglos, and 1 Hispanic; 1 Anglo and 8 Navajo community professionals; and 15 Navajo parents,…